


A Serious Request

by Jusbene



Series: Forever Together: Sylvix [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: I don't really know how to tag this one, M/M, Please read that first, Sylvain showing how much he cares about Felix, Sylvain's POV, based off of my first fic, it's a short drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-20 21:17:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21063347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jusbene/pseuds/Jusbene
Summary: Sylvain is very nervous. This is the most work he has ever put into anything. And to top it off, he has to pitch this toher...





	A Serious Request

**Author's Note:**

> So this piece I had loosely in my head leading up to writing _[Selfish](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959481)_ but because that one was from Felix's POV, and this one is from Sylvain's, they don't really work well as chapters of one piece. Still, I strongly recommend you read _[Selfish](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959481)_ first. Even though the events in that one take place after this; I believe the buildup and reveal is much more satisfying if you read that before this one. 
> 
> This is a short drabble, nothing too special. Think of it as a tribute... idk

Sylvain takes a deep exasperated breath and lets it out shakily. _Okay… just relax. There is a chance that they’ll say no. They could say no._ His head is spinning with indecision. He had planned out everything but in the end, they had the final say as to whether or not it could be done. And if they were to say no, well, Sylvain hadn’t planned that far in advance.

Standing at the monastery entrance, looking out to the marketplace, Sylvain clutches his three books and his scroll to his chest, taking one final moment to gather his thoughts before walking down the stone steps as confidently as he can, making his way to a tent he frequents.

Inside the tent, a very buff looking woman is hammering away at a freshly molded piece of steel. It takes her a few moments to notice that Sylvain has arrived and when she does, she glances up, her eyes flash with recognition and a frown follows suit.

“What do you want, Gautier?” she calls out, pausing her work. “I already told you! I have a much better suitor. Not only does he have money, he actually means what he says to a woman.”

Sylvain can’t help but let out a nervous chuckle. Sometimes he wishes he hadn’t made advances towards most of the monastery women - since he would never know who he would have to return to to discuss other matters besides relationships.

“Hey, Lyla, I’m well, thank you for asking,” he replies sarcastically. “Fortunately for you, I’m not interested in your womanhood anymore.”

Realizing how quickly the conversation became inappropriate, Lyla grits her teeth at him, placing her metalwork in a safe spot before stomping over to the counter. Of course, Sylvain is smirking like a right old prick but that’s only because he feels like they're even at this point.

“How dare you come to my workstation using that filthy mouth of yours,” she growls at him, baring her fists into the table. “Keep your damn voice down. Not everyone in Garreg Mach needs to know that I was one of your girls.”

“Well you’re the one who brought it up, not me,” he clucks back, still smirking. “I thought you were a _blacksmith_. That’s why I came over. I respect that this is your work-space. Do… _you_ respect me as a potential client?”

Lyla’s expression changes as she comes to terms with her mistake. She takes a deep breath and casts her gaze to the table for a brief moment.

“Okay, let’s start over….” Then she looks up smiling as if none of the past minute actually happened. “Hello, Gautier, how can I help you?”

“Lyla! Just the lady I wanted to see!” Sylvain calls out, playing along. “I have… a serious request.” At this point, the cocky smile has left his features. His face is much more serious now. 

And this peaks the woman’s interest. She stares at him inquisitively. “Yes?”

Sylvain closes his eyes and lets out another heavy sigh, taking the moment to choose his most professional words for this pivotal pitch.

“This is probably the most important thing I have and will ever ask for in my life, and I want to be sure that it is handled by a master professional blacksmith. I am speaking to the best Garreg Mach has to offer, correct?”

Flattered by his change in mannerism, Lyla’s eyes light up with intrigue. 

“Well I’ve been repairing and forging steel here for the majority of Professor Byleth’s forces during the war. I’d say I have the broadest range in experience with the craft during the busiest years in Fódlan. But I’d hate to say there’s no one better. I’ve learned from quite a few that have come and gone before me.”

Sylvain lets out a hearty laugh. “Oh come on, Lyla! Don’t be so _modest_! What I’m offering is a job that once you complete, people will be flocking here from all over just to have their next sword made by you.”

“Ya right!” she scoffs, turning to the side to spit into the dirt. “Unless this is going to be your signature battle lance as the new Margrave Gautier of Faerghus, no one’s going to be trekking here to commission me.”

“Well, it’s not going to be a lance. This is a sword I’m asking for.” Sylvain adds in.

“What use is a sword to you?” Lyla asks him jokingly. “The Professor would always request I repair your lances, never any swords.”

“It’s not for me,” he finally specifies. “It’s a gift. That’s why I want it done well.”

“A gift?” the woman echoes him. Her eyes fall on his scroll and stack of books still in his arms. “You have a blueprint there?” She holds out her hands, offering to take them.

Sylvain instead reaches for each book and stacks them one by one onto the counter top. The covers are turned over so that Lyla cannot read the titles. At last, he takes the scroll, inhales a deep breath and then places it into the center of the table, rolling it out at both ends to reveal his drawing.

The buildup of suspense seemed to work well for the situation. Lyla’s initial reaction could only be described as the expression someone has when they see a passage of a foreign language and are expected to read it. Then her face changes as she scans the drawing in bewilderment. Her eyes twinkle with a sense of wonder and slowly, her mouth contorts into an irritated frown, her teeth flashing in the sunlight.

“What...what even _is_ this?” she struggles, not taking her eyes off the drawing just yet. Sylvain had drawn several diagrams on the scroll but there were passages of text as well, with arrows pointing towards this way and that. She had probably read all of the text twice so far but was giving it a third read through.

“It’s a custom,” Sylvain replies, as if she didn’t figure that out already.

“No, I mean…” she trails off and huffs, furrowing her brow in concentration, her eyes darting back and forth between the drawing and his handwriting.

“I told you, this is the most important thing I will ever ask for and I need to be certain you’re the gal to get it done for me,” Sylvain says to her.

“This is...this is _nuts_, Gautier,” Lyla utters, finally looking up at him, shaking her head in defeat. “_You_ are nuts.”

“Can it be done or not? Give me a solid answer,” he replies, clearly losing patience at her lack of specificity.

“I...I have never seen minerals or gemstones being used in a blade’s length, only steel–"

“Well I found records of it being done before, all in these books,” he assures her, pointing to the pile. “I’ve already left bookmarks in the areas you’ll find useful.”

“Wait, you did _research_ on this?” Lyla cries. “What have you done with the real Sylvain Jose Gautier?”

“Hey hey, easy there,” he chuckles, resting his hands behind the back of his head. “I do research when it matters to me. Classes here never really felt like they mattered.”

“Okay… so it’s confirmed the melting of the quartz can be done but… you’ll have to collect the materials I need to use…”

“Already on it,” Sylvain cuts in. “I’ve got a group of miners that are heading up into the mountains right now. They said they should be back with a few pounds of amethyst in a fortnight.”

“_Fuck_…you have to be an impostor.” Lyla grumbles, scratching her head. “The Sylvain I knew never worked so hard, ever, and never planned so far ahead.”

“You actually don’t know me,” Sylvain mutters back, with edginess in his tone. “We’ve probably only spent 15 hours in total together, half of it sleeping. Whatever you know about me besides all that is just hearsay and rumours. Not valid information.”

“Whatever, Gautier,” Lyla scoffs. “Just know that this is shocking coming from you. This has to be a gift for Professor Byleth, her coronation will be taking place exactly after her wedding to the King. You’re trying way too hard for a woman who’s already taken…”

Sylvain lets out a groan.

“Now why the heck would I have a blade like this made for our new Archbishop if she can have any blade she wants?”

“Well who else would you go to all this trouble for? The king?” she guesses.

“Dimitri is not a swordsman!” Sylvain can hardly take any more of this.

“Well this is clearly not a blade to be used for battle, more of an ornamental piece. I wouldn’t be peeved if it was a wedding gift…” Lyla adds in, attempting to calm him down.

“It’s not, okay?” Sylvain sighs loudly. “It’s…” He pauses, turning to look around to make sure no one is listening to their conversation, and leans in so he’s inches from Lyla’s face before he finishes his sentence in a whisper, “it’s an engagement present...I’m proposing with this sword.”

Lyla stares at him dumbfounded. They stand in silence for a long moment.

“Not a ring?” she finally asks. “Your bride better be into swords… or she’s going to say no.”

“My _groom_ is a sword connoisseur, and I know he’ll appreciate this over a ring. He hates rings.”

Lyla’s jaw drops open at the mention of a man and after a few more moments of silence, a gleeful smile bridges her face from cheek to cheek. She leans in and barely contains her excited whisper.

“Shut up! You’re marrying _Felix_?!”

And Sylvain immediately takes out a huge wallet full of gold coins from his satchel and tosses it in front of her.

“Here’s 10,000 for you to forget about that if anyone asks.”

The woman looks up at him and smiles, her eyes twinkling as she nods in agreement.

“I’ll pay you double when it’s completed,” he adds in with a smirk, taking a few steps back from the table to walk away.

Lyla assumes he is finished and gathers the bag, nodding her head and holding her finger to her lips in a silent promise, but Sylvain turns back to look at her one last time.

“Lyla, if it’s more beautiful than my drawing, if it makes him cry when he finally sees it, I will pay triple, you have my word.”

**Author's Note:**

> So hopefully you have already read _[Selfish](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959481)_ but if not, that's okay. You'll learn a lot more about this sword now if you visit that fic next. 
> 
> I apologize for my unconventional writing style. This is why I take forever to get ideas out. :(
> 
> I'd love to read what you think. Thank you~


End file.
